Trained to Help Kids Collaborate; Problem-Solve with Creativity

Imagine trying to help kids develop creativity, problem-solving, and other skills that prepare them for the future of work. 40 new volunteer Destination Imagination Team Managers were trained in these skills Saturday at Hooksett Memorial School. In all, their work will impact almost 300 students this year alone.

They are preparing students in the ultimate kids-hands on, adults hands-off competition, that starts in March: Destination Imagination Regional Tournaments. Students will compete in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) or social entrepreneurship challenges. These newly trained volunteers will facilitate their team’s solutions, which will be appraised for creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills. The real challenge: The student solutions must be totally solved by only team members, which can be up to seven students of the same grade level.

Training included learning the creative process from creativity to innovation, empowering teams and team and individual members to build their own trust, critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills to deliver solutions at competition on time and on budget.

“We have over 1,800 students from over 100 New Hampshire schools and community group who will participate in NH-DI this year”, according to Wayne Kurtzman, the volunteer marketing manager. “These students are among the 150,000 students in 30 countries who are participating in Destination Imagination worldwide.” In all, there are 1.7 million students around the world who have taken part in the program.

There is still time for new teams to sign up, and the organization will host another new Team Manager training on December 1 at Merrimack Valley Middle School in Penacook. For more information, visit NH-DI.org or write questions@nh-di.org.